If you live in NYC, the NYPL is
a fabulous resource. I love borrowing cookbooks so I can test-drive them before
adding another one to my crowded shelves. Do yourself a favor and check your
local library, wherever you are. There's nothing like actually trying some
of the recipes to determine whether or not you and the author are on the same
page.

A somewhat
lesser-known subsidiary of eBay, a very good place to buy modern books (and
music and movies) in any specified condition. Not an auction site: prices
are set and the shipping cost is fixed, so you don't have 99-cent books with
exorbitant shipping. They bill your credit card & the seller ships within
two business days, so it's pretty quick even with Media Mail. Also a painless
place to sell your unwanted stuff. Highly recommended.

Consolidated
access to the wisdom of the Cook's Illustrated testing kitchens, including
their takes on the relative merits of various brands of edibles and equipment,
and what they have found to be the best recipes, and why. This is the foodie
version of "Consumer Reports" for both flavor (sorry) and integrity.
You can read some articles for free before committing to a monthly or yearly
subscription that gives access to their entire database.

A
surrealistically good store for bulk candy, many familiar wrapped candies,
chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit, this also has a website and toll-free number
and can ship to you. The NYC store, stacked floor to ceiling with everything
from penny candy to Valrhona, jelly rings to Pez, is an experience in a class
by itself.

Shouldn't
need a intro, but some people still haven't heard of the finest specialty
food & cookware store in all of NYC--a crowded field. Another experience
in a class by itself. Better in person, if you can get there. The website
can only hold so much, but the store seems endless, in a good way.

A first-rate source for All-Clad
seconds at bargain prices. If you don't mind minor scratches etc, you can
save up to 48% on this expensive and very good cookware. They guarantee satisfaction
and their customer service is platinum. And no, we don't get a kickback.

This is a worthy nationwide organization
with branches in many US cities. Second Harvest rescues food that's near the
end of its useful life but still safe to eat, and quickly conveys it to nearby
soup kitchens and homeless shelters. A very efficient form of charity, as
most of the resources are being picked up from stores and restaurants that
are happy to get rid of them. City Harvest
and Food Bank of New York are two of their branches. (Canada has similar organizations:
click here for a list
of sites.)